Coin dispenser



' Se t 1, 1964 F. A. DE GEORGE 3,146,781

' com DISPENSER Filed Aug. 7, 1965 v 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FRANK DeGEORGEINVENTOR.

tfiw @0004 ATTORNEY Sept. 1, 1964 A. DE GEORGE,

. com DISPENSER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 7, 1963 E m 6 m OR I a l am.e 6 F m P W. I m e 3 .Y Li 8. ad MW 4 4 M W Y w v F e 4 4 Q B 1 \E 5 am ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,146,731 COIN DISPENSER Frank A. DeGeorge, 71 Sherwood Drive, Ramsey, NJ. Filed Aug. 7, 1963, Ser. No.300,422 Claims. C1. 133--6) The present invention relates to a coindispenser and more particularly to a coin dispenser useful in anautomobile which has locking features to prevent theft of the coins whenthe vehicle is parked.

Coin dispensers are well known and are employed extensively byconductors and bus drivers to dispense change. With the increase intravel over toll roads and bridges, this type of dispenser should alsobe useful in passenger vehicles. However, with regard to passengervehicles, the problems are quite difierent than in buses and streetcars. In a passenger vehicle, the driver usually starts seeking the tollwhile the vehicle is still in motion. Often, the driver does not havethe experience of a professional bus driver. Also, there is a seriousproblem of pilferage if a coin dispenser is kept in a parked car.However, although many attempts have been made to provide such a coindispenser for passenger vehicles, none, as far as I am aware has everbeen successful in practice on a large commercial scale.

It has now been discovered that a coin dispenser can be provided forautomobiles which is of simple construction, easy to use and to installand which has a locking feature to prevent theft.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a coindispenser for automobiles which can be readily locked and unlocked.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a coin dispenserfor automobiles which can readily be installed, is of simpleconstruction and can be mass produced.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention resides inthe novel arrangement and combination of parts and in the details ofconstruction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood thatchanges in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed maybe made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from thespirit of the invention. Furthermore, other objects and advantages willbecome apparent from the following description taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top perspective view of the coin dispenser contemplatedherein;

FIGURE 2 shows a top View of a coin holder for the coin dispenser shownin FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 shows a top view of the housing section for the coin dispensershown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view along the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 shows a front view of the coin dispenser contemplated herein inthe locked position;

FIGURE 6 illustrates a side view of the coin dispenser shown in FIGURE5, along the lines 55 thereof;

FIGURE 7 is a side view illustrating the internal limit stop meanscontemplated herein;

FIGURE 8 shows a top view of the limit stop means along line 8-8 ofFIGURE 7;

FIGURE 9 is a top cut-away view of the coin dispenser contemplatedherein; and

FIGURE 10 is a front cut-away view of the coin dispenser contemplatedherein along the lines 10-19 of FIGURES 9.

The coin dispenser 11 contemplated herein generally includes a housingsection 12 and a coin holder 13 which is pivotly mounted in the housingsection in such a manner as to tend to swing outwardly. The housingsection 12 has a flat rectangular top 14 and side walls 15 and 16.

3,146,781 Patented Sept. 1, 1964 ice Next to one of the side walls 16 isa locking arrangement 18. Disposed between the ends of rectangular top14 is at least one keyhole aperture 19, preferably there are two or moresuch apertures as shown in the drawing, the other aperture beingnumbered 19a.

In the concrete embodiment illustrated herein, the coin holder 13 is arectangular box-shaped member and has a plurality of longitudinallyaligned cylindrical compartments 29, 21, 22, so sized and designed as tohold coins of different denominations useful as road and bridge tollssuch as 51, 10, and 25. Each compartment includes an axially disposedspring 23 and a flat disc 24 designed to act as a coin rest. At the topof the coin holder and defining each compartment is a solid sheet 25made of sheet metal or plastic, with cut sections so shaped and sized asto hold the top coin, i.e., the diameter of the cut sections areslightly less than the diameter of the particu lar coins they are tohold in place. The coins are loaded into each compartment by depressingon the flat disc 24 and are slipped out of the compartment with theindex finger. The compartments 2t), 21, 22 include upwardly protrudingwalls 26 extending across the width of the coin holder. These walls aredesigned to come up almost to the top of the housing top 14 to preventpilferage of the coins when the coin dispenser is in the closedposition. Sheet 25 is fastened to the top of the coin holder and the topof the walls by pins 27. As can be seen in FIG- URES 1 and 5, in theopen position the coins are retained by sheet 25 and in the closedposition they are almost hidden from view by the housing top which has afront lip 14a.

The pivotal mounting of the coin holder 13 to the housing section 12 isso arranged that the coin holder 13 will naturally tend to swingoutwardly so that the coins can be withdrawn when needed. This isaccomplished by having the coin holder mounted eccentrically on the sidewalls 15 and 16. That is to say, pivots 28 and 28a extend through thelower rear of the side walls 15 and 16 engage the corresponding sides 29and 30 of the coin holder 13 or apertures therein, at the lower rearthereof. The coin holder 13 will therefore tend to swing out untilstopped by a diagonal stop 31 extending along one of the side walls,e.g., side wall 29. This diagonal stop 31 which is a diagonal protrusionon the wall of the coin holder engages a corresponding protrusion 31aalong the inside wall of the housing section.

The coin holder 13 is locked in the housing section by the lockingarrangement 18 which is mounted on the inside of the coin holderalongside side wall 16. The locking arrangement has a pin 32 outwardlycocked by a spring 33 so that the pin tends to engage a recess 34 inside wall 16. The pin is moved inwardly by the action of a lever arm 35which lever arm is in turn moved by the action of the turning a key 36in lock keyhole 37. As depicted in the drawing, the lock keyhole 37 andlever arm 35 are very much like a number 9 the aperture in the 9 beingthe keyhole and the long arm of the 9 being the lever arm. When a key isinserted in the keyhole and turned to the right, the lever arm moves tothe left. The spring 33 likewise acts on the lever arm and tends to keepthe key from turning. Therefore, normally, pin 32 tends to remain in therecess by the action of spring means 33 which in turn is not acted on bythe lever arm 35 because there is no force applied to turn the key. Assoon as the key is turned by hand, lever arm 35 acts on the pin towithdraw it from engagement in the recess and the coin holder swingsout. The coin holder can then be pushed shut without using the key since32 has a slightly rounded end.

The particular lock used has a front circular section 38 designed to fitover an aperture in the coin holder and a cylindrical lock housing 39which is threaded to receive I Q3 a bolt 40 which can be bolted on theinside of the coin holder against front circular section 33 which is onthe outside.

In marketing the coin dispenser, there should also be included in thesales package a cloth or paper template to indicate the position ofkeyhole apertures 19 and 19a where the screws are to be inserted. Thismakes the installation of the coin dispenser much easier since thedevice can be properly positioned and the holes drilled under thedashboard without handling the cumbersome coin dispenser housingsection. As shown in the drawing, screws with fiat heads should besupplied and the housing section should be placed flush up against thedashboard. Once in place the screws cannot be removed without removingthe coin holder. The keyhole openings for the screws permits the coindispenser to be first loosely put in place then shoved into a positionfrom which it cannot be moved. Pivot 28 will enter the side walls andcannot be readily removed.

It is to be observed therefore that the present invention provides for acoin dispenser for automobiles and includes a housing section having arectangular flat top with apertures therein for fastening the top to theunderside of a dashboard and two side walls extending from the longitudinal ends of the top at right angles thereto; a coin holder ofrectangular box shape, sized to fit into said housing, the walls of thecoin holder being pivotly mounted in the side walls of the housingsection at the lower rear thereof so as to tend to swing outwardlyincluding stop means to limit the outward swing; a plurality oflongitudinally aligned coin holding compartments in said coin holdersized to hold different denominations of coins, each compartmentincluding a fiat disc coin rest and spring means urging said coin restoutwards with retaining means at the top of said compartments to holdthe top coin in each compartment; and, locking means with a key to holdthe coin holder locked in the housing section on when the device is notin use. The retaining means at the top of said compartments may be asheet fastened to the top of said coin holder with cut sections soshaped and sized as to fit over and hold the top coin in eachcompartment. The stop means to limit the outward swing may be a diagonalprotrusion on one of the walls of the coin holder designed to contact acorresponding protrusion on the inside of one of the walls of thehousing section. The locking arrangement provided for herein includes apin outwardly cocked by a spring in the coin holder designed to engage arecess in one of the side walls of the housing section, a lever armdesigned to move the pin inwardly against the spring which is connectedto the keyhole section of a lock mounted on the coin holder so that whena key is fitted into the keyhole and turned, the lever will move the pinin the proper direction.

Although the present invention has been described in conjunction withpreferred embodiments, it is to be understood that modifications andvariations may be resorted .d: to Without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention as those skilled in the art will readilyunderstand. Such modifications and variations are considered to bewithin the purview and scope of the invention and appended claims.

I claim:

1. A coin dispenser for automobiles, combination;

a housing section having a rectangular flat top with apertures thereinfor fastening the top to the underside of a dashboard and two side wallsextending from the longitudinal ends of the top at right angles thereto;

a coin holder of rectangular box shape, sized to fit into said housing,with walls on the coin holder pivotly mounted in the side walls of thehousing section at the lower rear thereof so as to tend to swingoutwardly including stop means to limit said outward swing;

a plurality of longitudinally aligned coin holding compartments in saidcoin holder sized to hold different denominations of coins, eachcompartment including a flat disc coin rest and spring means urging saidcoin rest outwardly with retaining means at the top of said compartmentsto hold the top coin in the compartment; and,

locking means to hold the coin holder locked in the housing section whenthe device is not in use.

2. A coin dispenser as claimed in claim 1, said retaining means at thetop of said compartments being a sheet fastened to the top of said coinholder with cut sections so shaped and sized as to fit over and hold thetop coin in each compartment.

3. A coin dispenser as claimed in claim 2, said stop means to limit theoutward swing of the coin holder being a protrusion on the outside ofone wall of said coin holder and a corresponding protrusion on theinside of one wall of the housing section.

4. A coin dispenser as claimed in claim 3, said locking arrangementincluding a pin which is outwardly cocked, a spring in the coin housingfor cocking said pin, a recess in one of the side walls of the housingsection designed to be engaged by said pin, a lever arm designed to movethe pin inwardly against said spring and, a keyhole section to whichsaid lever arm is connected, whereby the turning in said keyhole sectionof a key will move the lever and pin against said spring.

5. A coin dispenser as claimed in claim 4, said locking arrangementbeing mounted in the coin holder alongside one of the walls thereofinside the housing section.

comprising in References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESPATENTS 266,296 Rowley Nov. 28, 1882 2,497,643 Waterman Feb. 14, 19502,536,016 Bamberger Jan. 2, 1951 2,853,083 Roedelheimer Sept. 23, 1958

1. A COIN DISPENSER FOR AUTOMOBILES, COMPRISING IN COMBINATION; AHOUSING SECTION HAVING A RECTANGULAR FLAT TOP WITH APERTURES THEREIN FORFASTENING THE TOP TO THE UNDERSIDE OF A DASHBOARD AND TWO SIDE WALLSEXTENDING FROM THE LONGITUDINAL ENDS OF THE TOP AT RIGHT ANGLES THERETO;A COIN HOLDER OF RECTANGULAR BOX SHAPE, SIZED TO FIT INTO SAID HOUSING,WITH WALLS ON THE COIN HOLDER PIVOTLY MOUNTED IN THE SIDE WALLS OF THEHOUSING SECTION AT THE LOWER REAR THEREOF SO AS TO TEND TO SWINGOUTWARDLY INCLUDING STOP MEANS TO LIMIT SAID OUTWARD SWING; A PLURALITYOF LONGITUDINALLY ALIGNED COIN HOLDING COMPARTMENTS IN SAID COIN HOLDERSIZED TO HOLD DIFFERENT DENOMINATIONS OF COINS, EACH COMPARTMENTINCLUDING A FLAT DISC COIN REST AND SPRING MEANS URGING SAID COIN RESTOUTWARDLY WITH RETAINING MEANS AT THE TOP OF SAID COMPARTMENTS TO HOLDTHE TOP COIN IN THE COMPARTMENT; AND, LOCKING MEANS TO HOLD THE COINHOLDER LOCKED IN THE HOUSING SECTION WHEN THE DEVICE IS NOT IN USE.